The present invention relates to a device for performing dental X-ray examinations.
It is of great importance that dental X-ray examinations may be performed in a safe and comfortable way for the patient and that all kinds of examinations may be performed rapidly using one single equipment.
It is previously known to use specially designed film holders to securely hold the film during the actual exposure. The requirements upon such film holders may be summarized as follows:
The film holder should be hygienic, i.e. either of the disposable type or possible to sterilize and in all cases it must be able to be disinfected. It must last all the exposures required for one patient during one examination occasion.
It should be possible to use it in most or preferably all existing situations, by exposure of periapical pictures as well as by exposure of bite-wing pictures and it should be possible to use it by up-right as well as resting film location. By exposure of periapical pictures it must be so thick that it permits the edge of the film to be placed above the occlusion plane.
By exposure of bite-wing pictures it must be so thin that the teeth in the upper and lower gums need not be unnecessarily kept apart.
It must be provided with such a long biting plate that a stable biting of the teeth is obtained in such cases where the film is located relatively far away from the teeth, e.g. using a so called parallel technique when examining the teeth of the upper gum or the front of the lower gum.
It must have so short a biting plate that it does not interfere for example by engaging the cheeks when examining the side portions of the lower gum.
It must be easy to handle and uncomplicated to use by dentist or nurse.
It should be comfortable to the patient but should at the same time offer a stable biting that secures the film in a definite position.
It should support the film and prevent it from bending. It must not generate interfering shadows by high absorption of X-rays.
It is a further desire that dental X-ray examinations could be performed rapidly and efficiently so that for example the need for repeating is minimized.
The film holders hitherto developed have only partiallay fulfilled the requirements and wishes disclosed above.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide an device fulfilling the abovementioned requirements and wishes and which furthermore may be produced at a low cost.
To accomplish these and other objects the invention has the characteristics disclosed in the following description and claims.
In the accompanying drawings an exemplifying embodiment of the invention is shown as well as a modification thereof.